June 10, 2025 • 23 mins
It’s finally time for Marie’s big birthday celebration when a surprise visitor raises suspicion. Unexpected secrets about Ahway Island’s past are revealed that may just help crack the secrets of the map. Will they finally know where to look for the treasure?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Previously on Adventures on AhweIsland, after a failed attempt
at following the map, Marie, JJ and Christian were at a dead
end. Then an unexpected inspiration
LED them to a new clue that justmight crack the case.
(00:22):
Welcome to adventures on Ahwe Island.
Hi AA Wei Islanders, we'd like to tell you about our friends at
the Curious Kid Podcast. The Curious Kid Podcast is
(00:43):
hosted by a dad and his two curious kids, Olivia and Noah.
They cover all sorts of fun topics like baseball, seashells,
birds, fireworks, and the planets.
There's a new topic for each episode and listeners get to
suggest the topics. The Curious Kid Podcast has over
(01:07):
300 episodes to enjoy. They release a new episode each
and every Sunday, so we hope you'll check out The Curious Kid
Podcast and enjoy it as much as we do.
Chapter 2 The Destination Revealed Part 2 At school the
(01:29):
next day, Marie could hardly sitstill through classes.
She was so excited to have discovered the new clue to
finding the treasure. The Riddle on the back of the
map repeated in her mind like a broken record.
Find the big three. Ignore the rest.
(01:51):
That's the location of the secret chest.
Go to the flagpole 2 feet to thenorth.
Dig inches down to the 24th. As soon as the bell rang, she
ran to her locker, then raced outside to meet JJ and Christian
(02:12):
at their usual meeting spot. They headed straight back to the
library on a mission. When the building came into
view, however, Marie realized there was a big problem.
There were three flag poles out in front of the library, not
(02:33):
one, and a concrete pad extendedat least 5 feet around all the
poles, along with a bench for patrons waiting in the pickup
zone. Aw, come on, Christian groaned.
I thought this was supposed to get easier.
(02:54):
I guess not, JJ said. She looked at the three
flagpoles and the wide concrete pad around them.
How are we supposed to know which flagpole the clue was
talking about? And even if we do figure that
out, Christian added. The clue said to dig, but we
(03:16):
can't dig through concrete. The trio plopped themselves down
on the bench and sat for a while, stewing in their own
thoughts. Eventually, Christian sighed and
broke the silence. I need to go get a book for my
science project, he said. Marie stood up.
(03:39):
OK, we'll go with you, she said,glad for something to do.
Yeah, maybe we'll find some inspiration inside.
JJ agreed. Maybe that old librarian will be
back. Once inside, it was clear that
the eccentric old man from the other day wasn't at the
(04:02):
information desk. There was just Sal busy at the
computer terminal. Still, Marie felt a tug of
curiosity. While JJ went with Christian to
pick up his book, Marie approached the information desk.
Perhaps she could learn something useful without giving
(04:24):
too much away. Hi ya Sal, Marie said.
Hi, Marie, what can I do for youtoday?
Sal asked. Marie hesitated for a moment.
She thought about telling Sal about the map, but Sal knew her
dad very well and she still didn't want to get into trouble
(04:49):
for having taken it from the library without permission.
Sal must have noticed the hesitation in Marie's voice and
picked up on her disappointment.Is something wrong?
Marie had to think quickly. I.
She began uncertainly. I was wondering when the other
(05:13):
librarian was coming back. She said it felt important to
talk to him again in case he might have an idea about what
they should do next. You mean Darius?
Sal asked, puzzled, clearly surprised that Marie didn't
mention the other librarian by name.
(05:35):
Darius had worked at the libraryfor a couple of years and, like
Sal, knew Marie very well. Marie shook her head.
No, not Darius, I meant the old man who is new.
I never saw him before the otherday.
(05:55):
Sal shrugged. I have no idea who you're
talking about, kiddo. If there is someone new here, I
haven't met them yet. It was Marie's turn to be
surprised. There was a new employee at the
library at the same desk Sal worked at, and Sal didn't know
(06:17):
it. Something didn't add up.
OK, thanks. Marie said.
She headed off to find her friends, thoroughly bummed to
have hit yet another dead end. Part of her just wanted to give
up and move on. After all, she had better things
(06:39):
to think about. Her birthday was on Saturday,
but the part of her that loved agood mystery egged her on.
They had to be missing some critical piece of information
that was preventing them from following the map.
There had to be a way to find the treasure still there, just
(07:01):
had to. Every day for the rest of the
week. Marie stopped at the library on
her way home from school, hopingto see the old man at the
information desk, but it was always someone else who was
there. In the meantime.
She told JJ and Christian about Sal not knowing the old
(07:22):
librarian. It was such a mystery, and Marie
felt frustrated that they were not making progress fast enough.
Her impending birthday was a welcome distraction.
Party preparations were exciting.
Marie had chosen a science themed party.
(07:44):
In the days leading up to the event, she helped her dad make
cupcakes with different flavors of frosting.
Then she and her mom gathered the materials for the fun
science experiments they had planned.
Finally, on Saturday morning, a delivery of helium balloons
arrived. While her mom accepted them,
(08:08):
Marie caught sight of the delivery person.
It was the same old man who had been at the information desk at
the library the other day. He met Marie's gaze and gave her
a smile and a wink just as her mom closed the door.
Wait. Marie cried, hurrying towards
(08:30):
the closed door. She yanked it open again, but
the man was already driving off in the delivery truck.
Is everything OK? Her mom asked.
Yeah. Marie said unconvincingly.
That man was working at the library the other day, and I
wanted to ask him something. Missus Duguay gave her daughter
(08:54):
a gentle shoulder pat. I'm sure you'll see him again,
sweetheart. Soon her friends began to arrive
for the party. While everyone was eating
cupcakes, Marie pulled JJ and Christian aside to tell them
what had happened. Her friends were just as shocked
as she was. Are you sure it was the same
(09:16):
man? JJ asked.
Unless he has a twin, I'm sure. Marie replied.
He even winked at me like he knew me.
I wonder why he didn't say hi. Christian said.
My mom was already closing the door by the time I saw him.
Marie explained. And Sal didn't know who he was.
(09:41):
JJ asked, even though it was a question Marie had already
answered. No, Sal had no idea who I was
talking about. Marie said.
It was quite puzzling. We should have asked his name,
Christian stated. But I didn't think of it at the
time. Me neither, Marie said.
(10:04):
I hope he's at the library againnext week.
I'm going to keep checking everyday after school until I see
him. He's the only person we can ask
about the map. JJ nodded.
Yeah, she said. Maybe you could ask his name
too. The party was great fun.
(10:26):
The science experiments were a hit with all the kids.
They made large bubble blowing wands and a special solution to
see who could create the biggestsoap bubble.
They also made popcorn dance. And for the grand finale, they
made a paper mache volcano eruptwith glitter lava.
(10:51):
Best of all, after waiting her whole life for this moment,
Marie was finally 10 double digits.
It felt like a big accomplishment.
And just like JJ and Christian had gotten from their parents
before her, Marie's parents gaveher a special gift for her 10th
(11:15):
birthday, her first smartphone. She had gotten a smart watch
last year so her parents could message her.
Now with the phone, she was allowed to message her friends
as well. Marie had worked hard to
convince her parents that 10 wasold enough to have the privilege
(11:37):
of a smartphone. She presented A compelling and
thoughtful case. Being able to text was the most
efficient way to keep in contactwith her parents and friends,
and she could make a call in an emergency or use the map if she
ever got lost. Truth be told, what thrilled her
(11:59):
most was how it might help her with her investigation.
Every detective needed the righttools.
The following Monday, Marie stopped back at the library,
just as she'd planned. She'd awoken with the strange
hunch that the old man would be there today, so she'd even
(12:21):
brought the map with her carefully tucked into her
pocket, just in case. Still, she tried not to get her
hopes up too much. She'd been disappointed before.
Fortunately, this time, luck wason her side.
The old man was at the information desk.
(12:42):
You're back. Marie said, half surprised and
half expecting it all along. Indeed I am.
The man said with mirth in his voice.
I have a feeling you need my help.
With her most charming smile, Marie held out her hand to the
(13:03):
man and introduced herself. I'm Marie, and I do need your
help. She said.
The old man nodded at her and shook her hand warmly.
Hello, Marie. Everyone calls me Sapphos, he
said. Mission unaccomplished, Marie
(13:24):
thought to herself. She finally knew the man's name.
Sapphos. Next, Marie brought out the map
and unfolded it, placing it on the desk with the pencil
drawings face up. She wanted to make sure Saphos
couldn't see the writing they had discovered on the back.
(13:46):
We tried following this map outside the library, explained
Marie. But the place where the X is, is
covered in concrete. We're not sure what to do next,
she admitted. Saphos peered intently down at
the map. Let me take another look.
(14:09):
As Saphos studied the map, Marietook the opportunity to study
him. As before, he was wearing a
neatly pressed suit, this time in a deep blue.
The handkerchief in the pocket was perfectly folded and stood
straight up against his barrel shaped chest.
(14:32):
The embroidered symbol on the handkerchief was the same as the
other day, but Marie still did not recognize it.
It was a swirly pattern that kind of looked like a butterfly
and a circle and some extra lines.
Marie didn't give it much thought, and instead continued
(14:52):
to observe Sappos. He was shorter than both of her
parents, Marie noted, and his white hair was sparse and fluffy
atop his head. His hands, spread wide on the
counter as he studied the map, were deeply tanned and heavily
wrinkled, as if he had done a lot of work with them over his
(15:15):
lifetime. Yet his fingernails were neatly
filed, short and perfectly clean.
An ornately decorated gold ring rested on the middle finger of
his left hand, and it too carried the same symbol that was
on his handkerchief. To Marie, the design looked like
(15:39):
the logo of a designer fashion brand.
Maybe Saphos was secretly rich, Marie wondered to herself.
But it wasn't just his appearance that set him apart.
There was something about the way Saphos carried himself that
felt almost regal. Oh my, He muttered, snapping
(16:03):
Marie's attention to his face. She looked up at him, startled.
What? She asked, returning her gaze to
the map. I actually don't think this is
the library. Sappho said.
Marie felt shocked. Not the library.
Where else could it be? She wondered.
(16:26):
True, it does match the layout of the library grounds before
the renovations, Sapphos continued.
But there is another possibility.
There used to be two places on Awe Island that had almost
matching layouts. Both were designated to be
spaces for the community. Each had a main area, the
(16:50):
rectangle to gather at, a circular element to symbolize
renewal of life, and an oak treeto symbolize growth.
The answer hit Marie like an unexpected gust of wind, almost
knocking the air out of her lungs.
The park? She exclaimed.
(17:12):
There's the main pavilion, the circle of flowers that is always
planted with AW Island colors, and the old oak tree that
everyone calls Grandma Oak because so many other trees on
AW Island have been grown from her acorns.
Safos nodded. Exactly.
He said with a smile, his wateryblue eyes shining.
(17:37):
You're a very smart girl, he added.
As Marie was about to fold up the map, Safos reached down once
more and tapped an unmarked spoton the page.
The flagpole is right there, he stated.
Marie's heart surged. Of course, how many times had
(17:58):
she passed that flagpole in the park?
This had to be the place the clue was referencing.
Thanks. Marie said brightly, quickly
folding and pocketing the map. You're very welcome.
Saphos replied. There was a hint of amusement in
his voice as he watched Marie bolt toward the front of the
(18:19):
library, already pulling out hernew smartphone to message JJ and
Christian. Map equals park, old man equals
Saphos. Marie texted her friends in a
group chat. The replies from both JJ and
Christian were instant. What?
(18:42):
And OMG and yes popped back ontoher screen in a waterfall.
Marie's smile was so big, her face hurt.
Not only was she now 10, not only did she have her first
smartphone, but she was also solving her very first mystery.
(19:04):
She did a little dance right there on the sidewalk.
She couldn't help herself, she felt so cool in her excitement.
A sudden thought stopped her cold.
How exactly had Safos known theyneeded to find a flagpole?
There wasn't a symbol for it on the front of the map, and the
(19:28):
spot he'd pointed to had been blank.
Plus, Marie had made sure to hide the message that was on the
back of the map. She turned back into the
library, determined to ask Safoshow he knew they were looking
for a flagpole. He was busy helping another
(19:48):
patron, so she patiently waited her turn.
Hi Marie, back so soon? Sappos greeted her when he was
free. Hi again, Sappos.
Marie replied. She took out the map and opened
the face once more, making sure the faint pencil lines were
visible, but the clue on the back was not.
(20:11):
How did you know we need to finda flagpole?
She asked, pointing to the blankspot where Sappos had indicated
it earlier. She then looked up at his face.
Trying to gauge his reaction to the question, Saphos did not
look back down at the map. Instead, he looked right at
Marie, gaze unwavering. Isn't that what you were looking
(20:35):
for? He asked.
The way he said it made Marie feel like he could almost read
her mind. Yes, but.
Marie said hesitantly. It's not on this map, correct?
Saphos answered. But flagpoles were an important
part of the twin designs. The library was given 3 to
(21:00):
represent wisdom, courage, and dedication, and the park was
given one to represent the strength of friendship and
community. So I simply assumed you'd want
to know where the flagpole at the park was located.
Marie was stunned. She had no idea the founders of
(21:21):
AOI Island had put so much thought into the design of the
park or the library, and Safos'sexplanation of why he mentioned
the flagpole was plausible. She thanked him and turned
towards the lobby. She wanted to head straight to
the park, but she'd promised herdad she would help him make
(21:44):
dinner, so begrudgingly she madeher way home.
As she walked, she messaged JJ and Christian, and together they
agreed to go to the park the following afternoon to find the
buried treasure. After dinner, Marie set about to
prepare. She found a pair of gardening
(22:05):
gloves and her dad's gardening trowel in the garage, and she
tucked them into her bag. She was pretty sure digging was
not allowed at the park, but thesmall trowel seemed discreet and
unlikely to attract attention. She just hoped it would be big
enough they'd have to be carefuland fast so nobody would stop
(22:30):
them or find out what they were doing that night.
Marie was so excited she found it nearly impossible to fall
asleep at bedtime. She had no idea what the
treasure could possibly be, or who had buried it, or how long
ago it had been hidden underground.
(22:51):
She hoped beyond hope that it was still there in the park,
that someone hadn't already dug it up.
She just had to be the one to discover its secrets.
And she couldn't wait to find out.
The map has LED Marie, JJ, and Christian to the park and
(23:15):
hopefully to the buried treasure.
But just as they're about to digit up, unexpected visitors
arrive. Will they find what they're
looking for before they get caught?
Find out when the adventure continues on our next episode of
Adventures on Awe Island. Thanks for listening to
(23:39):
Adventures on Awe Island. Be sure to follow us on your
favorite podcast player so you don't miss an episode.
Previously on Adventures on AhweIsland, after a failed attempt
at following the map, Marie, JJ and Christian were at a dead
end. Then an unexpected inspiration
LED them to a new clue that justmight crack the case.
(00:22):
Welcome to adventures on Ahwe Island.
Hi AA Wei Islanders, we'd like to tell you about our friends at
the Curious Kid Podcast. The Curious Kid Podcast is
(00:43):
hosted by a dad and his two curious kids, Olivia and Noah.
They cover all sorts of fun topics like baseball, seashells,
birds, fireworks, and the planets.
There's a new topic for each episode and listeners get to
suggest the topics. The Curious Kid Podcast has over
(01:07):
300 episodes to enjoy. They release a new episode each
and every Sunday, so we hope you'll check out The Curious Kid
Podcast and enjoy it as much as we do.
Chapter 2 The Destination Revealed Part 2 At school the
(01:29):
next day, Marie could hardly sitstill through classes.
She was so excited to have discovered the new clue to
finding the treasure. The Riddle on the back of the
map repeated in her mind like a broken record.
Find the big three. Ignore the rest.
(01:51):
That's the location of the secret chest.
Go to the flagpole 2 feet to thenorth.
Dig inches down to the 24th. As soon as the bell rang, she
ran to her locker, then raced outside to meet JJ and Christian
(02:12):
at their usual meeting spot. They headed straight back to the
library on a mission. When the building came into
view, however, Marie realized there was a big problem.
There were three flag poles out in front of the library, not
(02:33):
one, and a concrete pad extendedat least 5 feet around all the
poles, along with a bench for patrons waiting in the pickup
zone. Aw, come on, Christian groaned.
I thought this was supposed to get easier.
(02:54):
I guess not, JJ said. She looked at the three
flagpoles and the wide concrete pad around them.
How are we supposed to know which flagpole the clue was
talking about? And even if we do figure that
out, Christian added. The clue said to dig, but we
(03:16):
can't dig through concrete. The trio plopped themselves down
on the bench and sat for a while, stewing in their own
thoughts. Eventually, Christian sighed and
broke the silence. I need to go get a book for my
science project, he said. Marie stood up.
(03:39):
OK, we'll go with you, she said,glad for something to do.
Yeah, maybe we'll find some inspiration inside.
JJ agreed. Maybe that old librarian will be
back. Once inside, it was clear that
the eccentric old man from the other day wasn't at the
(04:02):
information desk. There was just Sal busy at the
computer terminal. Still, Marie felt a tug of
curiosity. While JJ went with Christian to
pick up his book, Marie approached the information desk.
Perhaps she could learn something useful without giving
(04:24):
too much away. Hi ya Sal, Marie said.
Hi, Marie, what can I do for youtoday?
Sal asked. Marie hesitated for a moment.
She thought about telling Sal about the map, but Sal knew her
dad very well and she still didn't want to get into trouble
(04:49):
for having taken it from the library without permission.
Sal must have noticed the hesitation in Marie's voice and
picked up on her disappointment.Is something wrong?
Marie had to think quickly. I.
She began uncertainly. I was wondering when the other
(05:13):
librarian was coming back. She said it felt important to
talk to him again in case he might have an idea about what
they should do next. You mean Darius?
Sal asked, puzzled, clearly surprised that Marie didn't
mention the other librarian by name.
(05:35):
Darius had worked at the libraryfor a couple of years and, like
Sal, knew Marie very well. Marie shook her head.
No, not Darius, I meant the old man who is new.
I never saw him before the otherday.
(05:55):
Sal shrugged. I have no idea who you're
talking about, kiddo. If there is someone new here, I
haven't met them yet. It was Marie's turn to be
surprised. There was a new employee at the
library at the same desk Sal worked at, and Sal didn't know
(06:17):
it. Something didn't add up.
OK, thanks. Marie said.
She headed off to find her friends, thoroughly bummed to
have hit yet another dead end. Part of her just wanted to give
up and move on. After all, she had better things
(06:39):
to think about. Her birthday was on Saturday,
but the part of her that loved agood mystery egged her on.
They had to be missing some critical piece of information
that was preventing them from following the map.
There had to be a way to find the treasure still there, just
(07:01):
had to. Every day for the rest of the
week. Marie stopped at the library on
her way home from school, hopingto see the old man at the
information desk, but it was always someone else who was
there. In the meantime.
She told JJ and Christian about Sal not knowing the old
(07:22):
librarian. It was such a mystery, and Marie
felt frustrated that they were not making progress fast enough.
Her impending birthday was a welcome distraction.
Party preparations were exciting.
Marie had chosen a science themed party.
(07:44):
In the days leading up to the event, she helped her dad make
cupcakes with different flavors of frosting.
Then she and her mom gathered the materials for the fun
science experiments they had planned.
Finally, on Saturday morning, a delivery of helium balloons
arrived. While her mom accepted them,
(08:08):
Marie caught sight of the delivery person.
It was the same old man who had been at the information desk at
the library the other day. He met Marie's gaze and gave her
a smile and a wink just as her mom closed the door.
Wait. Marie cried, hurrying towards
(08:30):
the closed door. She yanked it open again, but
the man was already driving off in the delivery truck.
Is everything OK? Her mom asked.
Yeah. Marie said unconvincingly.
That man was working at the library the other day, and I
wanted to ask him something. Missus Duguay gave her daughter
(08:54):
a gentle shoulder pat. I'm sure you'll see him again,
sweetheart. Soon her friends began to arrive
for the party. While everyone was eating
cupcakes, Marie pulled JJ and Christian aside to tell them
what had happened. Her friends were just as shocked
as she was. Are you sure it was the same
(09:16):
man? JJ asked.
Unless he has a twin, I'm sure. Marie replied.
He even winked at me like he knew me.
I wonder why he didn't say hi. Christian said.
My mom was already closing the door by the time I saw him.
Marie explained. And Sal didn't know who he was.
(09:41):
JJ asked, even though it was a question Marie had already
answered. No, Sal had no idea who I was
talking about. Marie said.
It was quite puzzling. We should have asked his name,
Christian stated. But I didn't think of it at the
time. Me neither, Marie said.
(10:04):
I hope he's at the library againnext week.
I'm going to keep checking everyday after school until I see
him. He's the only person we can ask
about the map. JJ nodded.
Yeah, she said. Maybe you could ask his name
too. The party was great fun.
(10:26):
The science experiments were a hit with all the kids.
They made large bubble blowing wands and a special solution to
see who could create the biggestsoap bubble.
They also made popcorn dance. And for the grand finale, they
made a paper mache volcano eruptwith glitter lava.
(10:51):
Best of all, after waiting her whole life for this moment,
Marie was finally 10 double digits.
It felt like a big accomplishment.
And just like JJ and Christian had gotten from their parents
before her, Marie's parents gaveher a special gift for her 10th
(11:15):
birthday, her first smartphone. She had gotten a smart watch
last year so her parents could message her.
Now with the phone, she was allowed to message her friends
as well. Marie had worked hard to
convince her parents that 10 wasold enough to have the privilege
(11:37):
of a smartphone. She presented A compelling and
thoughtful case. Being able to text was the most
efficient way to keep in contactwith her parents and friends,
and she could make a call in an emergency or use the map if she
ever got lost. Truth be told, what thrilled her
(11:59):
most was how it might help her with her investigation.
Every detective needed the righttools.
The following Monday, Marie stopped back at the library,
just as she'd planned. She'd awoken with the strange
hunch that the old man would be there today, so she'd even
(12:21):
brought the map with her carefully tucked into her
pocket, just in case. Still, she tried not to get her
hopes up too much. She'd been disappointed before.
Fortunately, this time, luck wason her side.
The old man was at the information desk.
(12:42):
You're back. Marie said, half surprised and
half expecting it all along. Indeed I am.
The man said with mirth in his voice.
I have a feeling you need my help.
With her most charming smile, Marie held out her hand to the
(13:03):
man and introduced herself. I'm Marie, and I do need your
help. She said.
The old man nodded at her and shook her hand warmly.
Hello, Marie. Everyone calls me Sapphos, he
said. Mission unaccomplished, Marie
(13:24):
thought to herself. She finally knew the man's name.
Sapphos. Next, Marie brought out the map
and unfolded it, placing it on the desk with the pencil
drawings face up. She wanted to make sure Saphos
couldn't see the writing they had discovered on the back.
(13:46):
We tried following this map outside the library, explained
Marie. But the place where the X is, is
covered in concrete. We're not sure what to do next,
she admitted. Saphos peered intently down at
the map. Let me take another look.
(14:09):
As Saphos studied the map, Marietook the opportunity to study
him. As before, he was wearing a
neatly pressed suit, this time in a deep blue.
The handkerchief in the pocket was perfectly folded and stood
straight up against his barrel shaped chest.
(14:32):
The embroidered symbol on the handkerchief was the same as the
other day, but Marie still did not recognize it.
It was a swirly pattern that kind of looked like a butterfly
and a circle and some extra lines.
Marie didn't give it much thought, and instead continued
(14:52):
to observe Sappos. He was shorter than both of her
parents, Marie noted, and his white hair was sparse and fluffy
atop his head. His hands, spread wide on the
counter as he studied the map, were deeply tanned and heavily
wrinkled, as if he had done a lot of work with them over his
(15:15):
lifetime. Yet his fingernails were neatly
filed, short and perfectly clean.
An ornately decorated gold ring rested on the middle finger of
his left hand, and it too carried the same symbol that was
on his handkerchief. To Marie, the design looked like
(15:39):
the logo of a designer fashion brand.
Maybe Saphos was secretly rich, Marie wondered to herself.
But it wasn't just his appearance that set him apart.
There was something about the way Saphos carried himself that
felt almost regal. Oh my, He muttered, snapping
(16:03):
Marie's attention to his face. She looked up at him, startled.
What? She asked, returning her gaze to
the map. I actually don't think this is
the library. Sappho said.
Marie felt shocked. Not the library.
Where else could it be? She wondered.
(16:26):
True, it does match the layout of the library grounds before
the renovations, Sapphos continued.
But there is another possibility.
There used to be two places on Awe Island that had almost
matching layouts. Both were designated to be
spaces for the community. Each had a main area, the
(16:50):
rectangle to gather at, a circular element to symbolize
renewal of life, and an oak treeto symbolize growth.
The answer hit Marie like an unexpected gust of wind, almost
knocking the air out of her lungs.
The park? She exclaimed.
(17:12):
There's the main pavilion, the circle of flowers that is always
planted with AW Island colors, and the old oak tree that
everyone calls Grandma Oak because so many other trees on
AW Island have been grown from her acorns.
Safos nodded. Exactly.
He said with a smile, his wateryblue eyes shining.
(17:37):
You're a very smart girl, he added.
As Marie was about to fold up the map, Safos reached down once
more and tapped an unmarked spoton the page.
The flagpole is right there, he stated.
Marie's heart surged. Of course, how many times had
(17:58):
she passed that flagpole in the park?
This had to be the place the clue was referencing.
Thanks. Marie said brightly, quickly
folding and pocketing the map. You're very welcome.
Saphos replied. There was a hint of amusement in
his voice as he watched Marie bolt toward the front of the
(18:19):
library, already pulling out hernew smartphone to message JJ and
Christian. Map equals park, old man equals
Saphos. Marie texted her friends in a
group chat. The replies from both JJ and
Christian were instant. What?
(18:42):
And OMG and yes popped back ontoher screen in a waterfall.
Marie's smile was so big, her face hurt.
Not only was she now 10, not only did she have her first
smartphone, but she was also solving her very first mystery.
(19:04):
She did a little dance right there on the sidewalk.
She couldn't help herself, she felt so cool in her excitement.
A sudden thought stopped her cold.
How exactly had Safos known theyneeded to find a flagpole?
There wasn't a symbol for it on the front of the map, and the
(19:28):
spot he'd pointed to had been blank.
Plus, Marie had made sure to hide the message that was on the
back of the map. She turned back into the
library, determined to ask Safoshow he knew they were looking
for a flagpole. He was busy helping another
(19:48):
patron, so she patiently waited her turn.
Hi Marie, back so soon? Sappos greeted her when he was
free. Hi again, Sappos.
Marie replied. She took out the map and opened
the face once more, making sure the faint pencil lines were
visible, but the clue on the back was not.
(20:11):
How did you know we need to finda flagpole?
She asked, pointing to the blankspot where Sappos had indicated
it earlier. She then looked up at his face.
Trying to gauge his reaction to the question, Saphos did not
look back down at the map. Instead, he looked right at
Marie, gaze unwavering. Isn't that what you were looking
(20:35):
for? He asked.
The way he said it made Marie feel like he could almost read
her mind. Yes, but.
Marie said hesitantly. It's not on this map, correct?
Saphos answered. But flagpoles were an important
part of the twin designs. The library was given 3 to
(21:00):
represent wisdom, courage, and dedication, and the park was
given one to represent the strength of friendship and
community. So I simply assumed you'd want
to know where the flagpole at the park was located.
Marie was stunned. She had no idea the founders of
(21:21):
AOI Island had put so much thought into the design of the
park or the library, and Safos'sexplanation of why he mentioned
the flagpole was plausible. She thanked him and turned
towards the lobby. She wanted to head straight to
the park, but she'd promised herdad she would help him make
(21:44):
dinner, so begrudgingly she madeher way home.
As she walked, she messaged JJ and Christian, and together they
agreed to go to the park the following afternoon to find the
buried treasure. After dinner, Marie set about to
prepare. She found a pair of gardening
(22:05):
gloves and her dad's gardening trowel in the garage, and she
tucked them into her bag. She was pretty sure digging was
not allowed at the park, but thesmall trowel seemed discreet and
unlikely to attract attention. She just hoped it would be big
enough they'd have to be carefuland fast so nobody would stop
(22:30):
them or find out what they were doing that night.
Marie was so excited she found it nearly impossible to fall
asleep at bedtime. She had no idea what the
treasure could possibly be, or who had buried it, or how long
ago it had been hidden underground.
(22:51):
She hoped beyond hope that it was still there in the park,
that someone hadn't already dug it up.
She just had to be the one to discover its secrets.
And she couldn't wait to find out.
The map has LED Marie, JJ, and Christian to the park and
(23:15):
hopefully to the buried treasure.
But just as they're about to digit up, unexpected visitors
arrive. Will they find what they're
looking for before they get caught?
Find out when the adventure continues on our next episode of
Adventures on Awe Island. Thanks for listening to
(23:39):
Adventures on Awe Island. Be sure to follow us on your
favorite podcast player so you don't miss an episode.
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